


brighter

by TheRagingThespian



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-10 16:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8923951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRagingThespian/pseuds/TheRagingThespian
Summary: Throwing a holiday party so soon after her mother is locked away isn't Lena's idea of a good time.





	

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr prompt: christmas lights
> 
> theragingthespian.tumblr.com

She’s not terribly fond of the music.  


To be quite honest, she hadn’t been sold on the idea of having a holiday party at all either. The department heads had pushed it. Said she needed to show that Luthor Corp- _L Corp_ , she had to remind them through gritted teeth and nails digging so hard into the desk that she finds paint underneath her fingernails later- was better than ever, the attack during Thanksgiving hardly affecting them.

She barely holds herself back from pointing out that of course _they_ weren’t affected. 

(They didn’t have to keep their chin up as their mother was escorted away, shooting looks that Lena sees every time she closes her eyes.

They didn’t watch Supergirl- _Kara_ , and that has her stomach turning with an intensity that shocks her every time she visits the memory- be thrown around like she was nothing, only for gleaming eyes to focus on her in turn.

From what she understands, family drama is common on holidays, but this seems like overkill even for a Luthor.)

The first night of December arrives far too soon, and now she’s surrounded by a mass of people she has to know but doesn’t _know_. She knows their positions in their companies, what they can offer, and what they want in return. 

That doesn’t make for a good party though.

It’s not that she’s not having fun, it’s not that the idea of throwing a party so soon feels a little like she’s celebrating the fact that she’s the only Luthor left standing and when it’s quiet and her cup empty, she wonders when she too will fall.

It’s not the music that a part of her thinks that her parents, _her parents_ \- the ones that are supposed to love and care for her and most certainly not leave her all alone to be taken in by strangers- used to sing as soon as the air grew colder.

It’s that Kara has been pulled onto the dance floor by her friends all night, and Lena has yet to make her way over.

(It’s that Kara’s been throwing glances her way the entire night, her gaze burning at the back of her neck but whenever she turns around, Kara ducks her head.)

It’s the third time tonight that Mike spins Kara around when Lena fails to even act somewhat engaged in the latest attempt for her to invest in a company that has no hope of making it off the ground. Kara offers her a beaming smile over his shoulder. Lena’s fingers feel hot, too hot, and she presses them into the cool glass, smiles over the rim as she brings it to her lips.

Kara looks disinterested. Lena’s not sure if it’s her own hope framing the situation, but she swears she sees Kara’s shoulders drop when the next song begins playing and she’s pulled into another dance. Her smile falters.

It spurs her into motion. “Excuse me,” Lena says, slipping away while waving off any requests for a meeting. She gently deposits her glass on a server’s tray, pretending not to notice Kara’s curious eyes as she steps toward them. She taps him on the shoulder. “May I cut in?”

“Oh,” he glances towards Kara, who nods after a moment, “sure.” When he goes to step towards her, she realizes she may not have been clear. She sidesteps, throwing what she hopes is an apologetic look before taking Kara’s hand and placing her other hand on Kara’s shoulder.

“Oh,” Kara breathes. 

“Kara,” she says when they stand there awkwardly for a moment, removes her hand to tap at her own hip before settling it on Kara’s shoulder again, “here.” She says that to allow Kara control over the situation when she looks like she might fall over any second, not because she wants Kara’s hand on her waist, but oh, it’s warm and fingers skim over the fabric of her dress there when Kara finally does.

“Thank you,” Kara mumbles, head dipping as they make their way across the floor.

“You didn’t look happy. Parties are supposed to be fun.” Lena turns her head to the side. “Or at least, so I’m told.”

Kara shakes her head. “No, this is- it’s amazing. They,” Kara nods her head, “they just- it’s a little much sometimes.” Kara laughs, and Lena _knows_ she doesn’t imagine Kara pulling her closer, “Besides, I could say the same for you.”

“Please, these are the same as meetings. The only difference is that we can drink through these.” Lena swipes her thumb across Kara’s shoulder. “Plus, I get to invite far more interesting company.”

Kara’s neck flushes instantly, red crawling up her face. Fingers dance at her hip. “You-you’re.” She huffs, shakes her head. “You look amazing.”

“You do too.” Lena pinches the fabric between her fingers. “This suits you.”

It’s a deep blue, one that’s identical to the Supergirl suit.

A warning sits on her tongue, because if Kara’s hair falls down, a pair of flimsy glasses would do nothing to steer from the fact that everyone would know she’s Supergirl.

(Lena doesn’t say it though, because Kara’s hand is warm in hers, on her waist, and it’d be a shame for her to ruin that. 

She’s not sure who told Kara to go with the jacket and pants to match, but she mentally thanks whoever they are.)           

“Thank you. Oh,” Kara hums and shifts slightly to whisper in her ear, “I think they want to speak to you.”

Lena follows Kara’s gaze and groans. Dancing is just another opportunity for negotiation, and her dancing with Kara does nothing to deter them. Lena works her jaw. Jess will kill her in the morning, because she is supposed to be making a few connections tonight, but this is a _party_. “Follow me.”

* * *

She doesn’t let go of Kara’s hand until they’re to her office.

(While she was drawing them away from the party, she loosens her hand, allowing Kara a way out. 

Kara’s hand simply tightened her grip in turn, fingers slipping between her own and holding tight.)

“Can you leave your own party like this?”

Lena shrugs. She bends over to fiddle with the latch on her heels, takes them off. “Well,” she offers a slanted smile, finger hooking into the strap of her heels and swinging them from her hand before tossing them beside the couch, “it is _my_ party.”

Kara snorts, dropping into her usual chair. “True.”

“Thank you for coming tonight.” Lena walks to her desk, leans against the side of it. “I’m not sure I would’ve been able to make it through one more minute of that.”

“Oh.” Kara looks down to her lap. Her hands cover over each other, fingers tapping. “I didn’t do anything?”

“You’re here. That’s enough.”

(She’d say more, but she’s pretty sure that already gives away too much. That all it takes is for Kara to come to a party simply because she asked, and it has too many emotions swirling in her chest.

But she’s never looked forward to seeing someone so much. Never stared at the door every minute, hoping to see someone for the mere fact that it’s _them_.

Until Kara Danvers came stumbling into her office, bringing her lunches, inviting her to game nights. 

Until Kara.)

Lena laughs, grabs the edge of her desk when Kara tilts her head. “I’m just sorry there wasn’t more for you than being dragged to dance.”

Kara’s eyes dart between hers, and then Kara’s standing, taking slow, measured steps towards her. “That’s alright.” She grabs her hands, squeezes them in her own. “It was enough to just get to see you.”

Kara is far too close. She’s not sure if she means physically or her words coming too close to home, but Kara is _too close_. 

(It’s irrational for her to want to pull Kara even closer as she says it. Fingers stretching towards Kara with need.)

“ _Kara_.” Lena searches for something to say, finds nothing. For once, words are failing her. She knows what to say in board meetings, over calls, to glances across bars that will amount to nothing in the morning. But this? Kara? 

(She thinks of so much when looking at Kara, wants to say so much but words feel too _little_.)

Kara’s breath fans out over her cheeks, and Lena blinks, tries to center herself, because when did Kara get this close? “You’re more than enough,” Kara says firmly and leans down, nose brushing hers before pausing, eyes darting up in question. Lena slides a hand to the back of her neck, and then Kara’s surging forward.

It’s soft and sweet, Kara no doubt single handedly demolishing the supply of hot chocolate that Lena had initially thought was a stupid idea to have at a party. She reaches up and grabs the lapels of Kara’s jacket to pull her closer, laughs through her nose when she realizes she’s always pulling Kara closer. Always desperate for that smile, that stupid, _believing_ smile that Lena will ensure remains just as bright as the day they met. Always wanting to bask in the sun that is Kara Danvers and everything she touches.

(Despite the advice that hounds her constantly, warnings of allowing a reporter to write whatever she wants and giving her free rein around L-Corp and dropping meetings and calls and _deals_ whenever Kara so much as mentions wanting to see her.

She’s seen the way Kara’s friends watch her, feels them studying their interactions and wonders if Kara’s received similar warnings.)

Kara’s hands come up to frame her face, and Lena tilts her head, pulling back slightly. “You’re smiling.”

Kara laughs. Lena closes her eyes, thinks Kara’s laugh is wonderful but even more so just at her ear, feeling it rumble in Kara’s chest before it sounds. Kara’s thumb traces over her lips. “So are you.”

Lena bites her lip, feels her lips still drawing back again on their own accord. Kara’s smile grows wider, a little looser, and she knows she’d never hear the end of it if someone walked in to find the CEO of L-Corp and CatCo’s newest reporter staring and smiling softly at each other. 

It doesn’t stop her from kissing Kara again, Kara’s fingers jerking against her cheek when Lena presses her lips against Kara’s nose, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. She does it again just to hear Kara’s quiet laughs.

Kara’s soft sigh cuts off, her head snapping to the windows. Lena focuses for a moment, past the drumming music under their feet from the party and can almost pick out what sounds like sirens far below. 

“Sounds like you have a city to save.”

Kara stares at her for a moment, closing her eyes and butting their foreheads lightly together. “Of course you know. I should’ve known.”

“Why’s that?”

Kara touches the back of her glasses, popping them up off her face. “You’re too smart, and I hear these aren’t the best disguise.” 

“Neither is admitting you flew here.”

Kara purses her lips. “I played that off.”

“About as well as you play charades.” Kara huffs at that, but she’s still smiling. Her arms come to wrap around her shoulders, and Lena presses her face into Kara’s shoulder, hands circling to Kara’s back. 

“This complicates things, doesn’t it?”

Lena closes her eyes. Shuts out the sounds of the party, of her phone’s notifications steadily going off. Just buries her face into the soft fabric there, Kara’s chest rising and falling slightly with soft breaths. “No more than it already was.”

“Does it,” Kara’s fingers tighten on her arm, “does it change anything for you? That I’m-”

“No.” Lena lets her hands fall, nudges Kara gently away, “we’ll talk later though.”

Kara nods. “Right.” There’s a blur of red and blue, Kara’s clothes draped across the chair. “I know it’s not exactly an entrance, but do you think I could?” Kara points to the balcony, looks back to her with barely concealed mischief. 

“I suppose I can let it slide once more.”

Kara grins. In an instant she’s standing on the ledge, giving her a wave before falling off. It almost has her running to ledge, because there’s a difference between suspecting and even _knowing_ , to actually seeing it. Lena barely has time to worry though, because Kara’s shooting back into the sky a moment later.

(Maybe she shouldn’t be so worried over falling.)

* * *

A candy cane pops up at the corner of her vision.

“Want one?”

Lena jerks back, slapping her hands on her desk. Jess has long since stopped notifying her when Kara comes, but usually Kara actually _walks_ in and doesn’t simply appear at her elbow. “Did you just?” Kara shrugs, shakes the candy at her. “No thank you.”

(She’s fairly certain Kara’s the reason they have to keep picking up more candy canes to have at the front. When she mentioned that perhaps Jess shouldn’t be giving Kara so many, Jess had kindly suggested maybe she should tell Kara not to accept every time she’s offered them.

Lena doesn’t. Jess keeps giving her more.

But really what’s the harm in a few candy canes during the season? If needed, she could- she most certainly _could_ tell Kara to not eat so many. She _could_.)

“Suit yourself.” Kara snaps a piece into her mouth, hums happily. “You ready to go?”

“What?” Lena looks over the mass of papers across her desk. She shakes the mouse and glances at the corner of the computer. “It’s barely five. I can’t leave yet.”

Kara crosses her arms. Lena follows the movement, rakes her eyes over Kara. Kara blushes, uncrosses her arms to shove up her glasses. “Jess says there’s nothing that can’t wait till tomorrow.”

“Right,” she says slowly, “but I’d like to do them today.”

“She said you didn’t take lunch either.”

Lena scribbles at the edge of a page, decides then that it’s time to have a talk with Jess about what she should tell Kara. “Just give me a few to straighten everything up.” She blinks. The papers are stacked at the edge of her desk and computer shut down. 

Kara holds out her coat. “All set.” 

Kara helps slip on her coat, fingers darting into her collar to free her hair, and if she kisses Kara then, well, no one can blame her. 

* * *

”Do you like Christmas?”

Lena pauses from looking at the lit trees, the soft glow reflecting in Kara’s eyes when she looks up. “More the idea of it.” Kara’s hand finds hers, warm despite the chill cutting the air. “They,” because she can’t say names anymore, finds it almost impossible to say her last name on even her good days, “they decorated for parties of course, but it wasn’t- it wasn’t fun or happy like the movies would lead you to believe.” 

Lena raises a shoulder, lets it drop immediately. “Just did it to serve a purpose.” Kara wraps a cautious arm around her and pulls her close, and she raises her arms to wrap around Kara’s waist automatically. “I like the idea of what it could be though.”

(She’s always surprised how easily Kara gives affection, constantly reaching out without hesitation. A hand at her waist, arm wrapped around hers.

Then again, to say that she’s not readily accepting the easy touches would be a lie.)

Lena looks up, rears back a little when Kara’s staring intently at her. “What?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Kara’s lips quirk upward, the way they do when Kara’s got her mind set on something. 

(She can’t even bother to act concerned. Whatever Kara does, she trusts her.

She trusts her.)

“Fine.” Lena nudges their shoulders together. “And you? Caroling and the like?”

“No, not really.” Kara laughs, breath fogging up in front of them. Her fingers reach up to grip the edge of her glasses, and it’s not the first time Lena’s wished they were in one of their apartments, that Kara didn’t have to wear them so she could look into incredibly blue eyes. “We exchange gifts, but anything else is just,” Kara waves her hand, frowns just so. 

“I do like the lights though.” Kara leans forward, tapping at one of the bulbs and running her finger along the strand. “They’re pretty especially when I’m,” Kara ducks her head to whisper, “when I’m flying. I can just look down and see so many. Even when one light goes out, the rest are still bright. Still there.”

Kara falls silent, fingers stalling over a flickering light. Face drawn in the same way when it’s late and she steps out to the balcony to wait for Lena to finish working, head tilted back to look at the stars. 

Lena clears her throat, folding her hand over Kara’s. “We need to warm up. I hear that shop on the corner makes the best hot chocolate.”

Kara grins, “I told you that.”

“Then you know I have a credible source.” Kara snorts, falling into step easily beside her. Lena almost trips when Kara stops, not budging when she takes a step forward. “What?”

“You’re cold?” Kara’s fingers slip over her coat, pinching the fabric between her fingers. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think- I don’t notice it.” 

“No, I’m fine.” Kara pulls off her hat, settling the beanie firmly over her head and tugging it down. “Kara, really-”

“I don’t need it.” Kara slides off her scarf. “Besides,” Kara winds it around her neck, pulling it to the front before twisting it into a knot, “it looks better on you.” Kara pats at it, “Warmer?”

She grips Kara’s hips, drawing her forward to kiss her. Kara cups her face, fingers still sticky from the candy earlier, and Lena huffs, because it’s honestly ridiculous how many she can eat. It’s wonderful though, Kara’s smile against her lips, fingers twisting into the scarf to tug her closer.

(She’s not quite sure how to tell Kara that it’s the warmest she’s ever felt.)

* * *

Lena fishes around her purse, hand searching for her keys.

She’s so used to armed security, a fingerprint scanner not-not _this_. Not doors that barely shut and leaky faucets. Not living under a different name in hopes that Lex doesn’t find this place like the last three. 

(It starts with threats and usually ends in flames or explosions.)

It had taken a month to find this one, already searching for a new place to stay before the last one was subjected to a bomb. Fully furnished with furniture she’d never pick and colors she hates.

It’s okay. She’s never there to really notice.

(She’s always been better at living in other’s homes instead of building her own anyway.)

When she hears rustling behind the door, she almost groans. No one else has to worry every two weeks about the latest their brother has in store for them, worrying about what she did wrong, what she did to deserve this.

(That traitorous part of her that still worries over her brother.)

She pushes open the door slowly, taking one cautious step forward to-

“Wait! Don’t- don’t look!”

- _Kara_.

Lena glances over to Kara, arms full of bundled up lights before the words settle into place and she places a hand over her eyes. “Sorry.”

“Just give me two seconds.” Lena can hear her shuffling in the corner and one second later, she’s across the room. “I didn’t think you’d be home so early.”

“I didn’t think you’d be in my apartment.”

Kara laughs, and oh, she’s right beside her, arm brushing hers. “That- well, the door- just wait.”

Lena nods, feels a breeze over her arms and knows Kara’s moving again. Something wraps around her legs, has Lena looking down under her hand to see strands of lights. “Um, Kara-”

“Wait, I’m almost done. I promise.”

“But,” Lena jerks back, hands flailing when another strands wraps around her stomach, “ _Kara_.”

“Oops.” Kara’s hands settle over her shoulders before dragging down to pull at the strands, “Um, okay. Just gonna spin you real quick.”

“What? No-” and oh, she’s going to be sick. Kara spins her twice, the last spin jerking to a stop. Kara laughs nervously, and Lena can feel her shuffling beside her, it’s just odd that the movement pulls her as well. Deciding she’s had enough, Lena drops her hand, almost covers her eyes again when she sees what Kara’s done. 

“Okay, so I maybe made it worse.” Kara shrugs, but the movement is stilted, strands tight around her shoulders.

Lena leans back, frowning when Kara’s pulled forward with the movement. “How did you even,” Lena shakes her head. “We’re stuck.” Lena navigates a hand through the strands, pulls at one of them that connects the two of them together only for Kara to stumble closer.

Kara smiles sheepishly, head bumping lightly against hers. “Sorry.”

“What were you even doing?”

“I was going to hang up lights, but then you showed up which is weird, because usually you don’t leave work until seven at like, the _earliest_ \- that’s really bad for you by the way-” Kara takes a breath, stops for a second to look down at the lights. “They’re on a timer.” The lights flicker on. “Oh, there it is.”

Lena looks over Kara’s shoulder, sees wreaths crookedly hung up, what few lights Kara managed to hang up bright and happy. Lena hopes the lights aren’t bright enough to show the tears welling in her eyes, but Kara’s face softening is telling. “You’re wonderful.” Kara sputters, shakes her head. “No, you are.” She leans forward, kissing Kara quickly before pulling away. “Let’s get out of this, and then you can show me what else we need to do.”

(They get untangled, but only after multiple attempts. Every time she pulls Kara forward, she can’t resist kissing her and by the end of it, she’s sure her lipstick is smeared even though she knows exactly where it went, and Kara looks thoroughly kissed.

And that’s before she finds the mistletoe.)

* * *

They watch a movie that’s cheesy enough it even has Kara groaning. 

Lena can’t be bothered to pay attention though, because Kara’s head is on her shoulder, and when she shuffles around to get comfortable, Lena tucks Kara’s head under her chin, trails fingers through her hair. When the hands at her sides go slack, Lena presses her nose into her hair and closes her eyes. 

It feels like only a minute later, when she’s lifted up. Her eyes heavy, she blinks blurrily through them to see Kara’s soft smile. It gets impossibly tender when she lays her down, and the words stall in her throat but she reaches out, fingers encircling Kara’s wrist.

Kara freezes, looks between Lena and the bed before nodding. “Can I?”

Lena slips her fingers down to press her thumb against Kara’s palm, bringing her hand closer to press her lips against it. 

Kara pulls off her glasses and drops them on the nightstand. “I’m going to take that as a yes,” Kara says and shuffles in behind her, sliding a warm hand against her stomach, fisting her shirt in her hands. 

It doesn’t take her long to fall back asleep.

(The apartment doesn’t feel much like hers, like something she’s eager to return to.

But the breaths at the back of her neck, legs tangled with hers are something else entirely. She wants to text Kara back as soon as she sees her phone light up, to see that smug smile Kara only gets when the two of them beat the others on game nights. 

Lena wants to have a home, one that isn’t destroyed by false ambitions that twist further and further away from the light with every passing breath and thought. She thinks of Kara laughing, of her pen in the corner of her mouth but then Kara’s biting too hard and has ink everywhere. Of Winn getting excited like no one else when she speaks about a new invention L-Corp is working on. Of Alex’s hand at her shoulder, eyes tight with what must be worry, worry for _her_ when she’s the target of another of Lex’s schemes with J’onn nodding behind her.

She thinks of Kara falling asleep on the couch in her office, because she doesn’t want to leave her alone at work.

Thinks maybe she finally has one again.)     


End file.
